Place dates and water in a small saucepan over high heat. When the mixture starts to boil, add bicarbonate of soda and 60g butter, and remove from the heat. Stir and then set aside for 25 minutes (the butter will melt during this time).Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Celsius fan-forced). If you are not using a fan-forced oven, adjust the oven rack to the lower half of the oven so the top of the pudding will be in the centre of the oven.

Grease a 20cm diameter (top inside measurement) round springform pan and line the base and side with baking paper.

Begin making the sauce (see instructions below) about 10 minutes before the pudding has finished baking.

Bake the pudding for about 50-60 minutes, or until it springs back when lightly pressed in the centre. A thin-bladed knife or wooden skewer inserted into the centre of the pudding should come out without any batter attached.

Leave pudding in the pan and allow it to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Using a skewer, pierce several deep holes in the pudding. Pour about 125ml (1/2 cup) of the hot butterscotch sauce over the pudding. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.Reheat sauce if necessary. Serve pudding with hot butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream.

Store leftover pudding and sauce in the refrigerator or freezer (we freeze the sauce separately). Suitable to reheat.

Hi Amanda & Debbie,I made this recipe yesterday - it was the lightest, yummist sticky date pudding that I have ever tried. I have yet to come across a recipe that has been a dud on your site well done girls!!!

Why would a chef (not a pastry chef) be here looking for a workable Sticky Date pudding recipe ? Because I can never quite get that perfect combo of moistness (sp ??) texture and flavour. Made this recipe, then used pastry cutter to cut 2" diameter cylinders. Kept each one in a small tub 'marinating' in some of the butterscotch sauce overnight, then reheated and with date puree dots and a drizzle of the remaining butterscotch. So good, and such great feedback, that I couldn’t claim it as my own ! About to make recipe again, using fresh pitted dates, and this time for family service, rather than individual servings. Top blog, top recipe (I’m a sucker for grams . . . ) many thanks, I will check back here again.

Have made this time and time again with rave reviews. The cake is moist yet not too sweet. I halve the amount of sugar in the butterscotch sauce as I am not a fan of things being too sweet. It is a brilliant recipe. Thank you so much ladies for making baking easier.

Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. I have just made this dessert and was told by everyone it was the best sticky date pudding they have ever had! and it's all thanks to you! Keep up the amazing work!

I read at least four other recipes before deciding on your Sticky Date Pudding Recipe (including the ones on Taste.com.au; Master Chef website, Epicurious.com; and Jamie Oliver's website). I have only ever eaten it twice before but I definitely know a yummy dessert when I taste it! Very easy directions to follow, and the pictures make a brilliant visualization to predict what comes next. I brought it to my in-laws and they said it is even better than my highly-desired carrot cake. Funny enough, the batter and folding part reminded me of both the carrot cake recipe/batter and the banana bread recipe/batter that I make. That what must make it so super special - how moist it is! Thanks so much. Oh and I have also cooked now several other recipes and they are all great so far. I haven't seen one that I don't like. I'll be visiting regularly! Cheers!

Hellow....i tried out this recipe and it came out so darn well..and and excellent crowd pleaser. Thanks for posting a step by step procedure. It helps first timers like me who have no clue how to go about it :)

I followed your recipe, but when sifting the dry ingredients I also added:- 1/4 cup plain flour- 1/4 tsp of baking powder- a teeny bit of salt- mixed spice and cinnamon

I used a silicon bundt pan instead of the non stick spring form cake tin. Using a silicon bundt pan I was worried of it having an affect on the bake time so I checked at 40-45mins and inserted a skewer and it came out clean. The mixture was ready to come out of the oven.

The sticky date pudding (SDP) turned out so good. It was great. The SDP was so soft, fluffy and moist. The SDP came out of the silicon bundt pan with ease and maintained it's shape and patterns. The finished product looked beautiful.

It took less than half hour for my small family to eat more than 3/4 of the SDP. We are very small people. No gut :P

I still have a lot of butterscotch sauce left(approx 300ml), which I will store in the fridge for later use.

I would make it again for a special occasion.

Don't drown your SDP with the butterscotch sauce. I think the SDP taste good with just a drizzle :)

I have made this pudding so many times it is just divine!!!!! My father is a major sticky date pudding fan and he swears this recipe is the best - I make it every year for his birthday! Even my partner who hates dates loves this cake!The recipe is very straight forward. Do not worry if the sauce doesn't appear to have soaked in when you take it out of the oven - it will soak in as it cools - leaving a nice thin layer on the top.

The caramel sauce recipe is straight forward and delicious also! Very sweet and caramel-like.

Overall this recipe produces a very moist, sticky, sweet, delicious dessert that is perfect for any occassion - particularly a cold winters night. Beats any restaurant recipe.

Gosh I made this 3 times in 6 days(lets just say I had alot of entertaining on that week!)It was simply divine- everyone raved and wanted to know the recipe. The second time I served it was a little dry ( I had made it the day earlier) and so my suggestion is to make it the day you plan to eat it.

This is easiest yummiest SDP I have ever had. I make it, cook as cupcakes using only half the mix, then freeze the other half for another time. Quick simple and easy. My family and I love it. My 10 year old can make this recipe.Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe

I made this Sticky Date pudding today..and what Can I Say? seriously AMAZING...it's the first time I have ever made a sticky date pudding and my family loved it!! So moist and delicious!!! I actually cooked it on fan forced for 45 minutes at 150...was perfect and the sauce is to die for!!! thanks for another great recipe!!!

This was the most DELICIOUS, and heavenly sticky date pudding i have ever put in my mouth, it is so moist and gooey, just as good if not better the day after, its worth the extra calories definitely, thank you so much for this everyone droooooled over it, it tastes phenomenal!

Hey I'm a 14 year old that loves to bake. I've been looking for a Good and not loaded with butter recipe. This is the best one so far I've used at the last 4 dinner parties and they all loved it so much.I love how easy it is.This is A recipe to keep.Thank you so much.

Best. Recipe. Ever! Love it so much & the sauce is seriously perfection!Taking it to dinner with friends tonight with homemade pistachio ice cream contemplated keeping it for myself but my husband already told them about it

i have been using this recipe for some time. it comes out great when baked in a larger dish,the any thing smaller than 10" middle takes much longer to bake.i bake it for longer & with the sauce it goes very well with everyone.how ever what happens when the 1&1/4 cups flour weighs less than 188gms?i always use the cup measuerement when applicable but tried weighing it today & it was more than 1& 1/4 flour in 188 gms